Early Morning
by Firestar385
Summary: Yue, Kero, Clow. If the guardians don't get along now, things couldn't have possibly been better when they were newly created. Inspired by the anime episode 58


_I really like stories with __Clow__ Reed and his guardians and there aren't many out there. This is a __ficlet__ that goes with a __fanart__ I have floating around in my head, but since I'm a lot better with words than pictures, I decided to write out the scene. I'll still probably try the drawing. Who knows._

_Yue__ and Kero were probably created as adults, else they wouldn't be very effective guardians, but I like reading stories about if they were created as children and had to grow a bit, so that's what I decided to write. Imagine __Yue__ as about a ten-year old boy and Kero as the size of a lion cub who's at _that _age. (Like __Simba__ from _The Lion King_?) Let me know what you think.__ Thank you in advance to anyone who reviews. smiles_

_**Disclaimer**: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura or any characters, CLAMP does. Any similarities to other works are purely coincidental. All spelling/grammar mistakes are my own (and MS Word 2007 spellchecker)._

* * *

The great magician Clow Reed awoke when he felt the covers shifting around him. Technically it was still night-time. Within the next half hour, the sun would peak over the horizon and the house would be filled with the patter of padded paws, but now it was peacefully silent. 

Clow pretended to remain asleep even as cold hands and feet came in contact with his side, chilly even through the fabric of the magician's sleep clothes. However, it was not a cold that was detestable to the wizard. It brought to him thoughts of tranquility, peace, and love for his beautiful creation. Which, by the way, he hoped would one day be tranquil, peaceful, and beautiful.

Now, better words to describe his little angel were uptight, intense, and adorable. Still, Clow had hope, for even in the past few months the magical creation had learned and matured rapidly. His late arrival in Clow's bed was a testament to that. Just this past season Clow had started being able to sleep again. Before, he had spent his days entertaining his hyper lion cub and his nights cuddling his little angel.

A sharp kick to his side jolted Clow and he could no longer pretend to be asleep, even though he knew it hadn't been done on purpose. "Yue?" he questioned curiously as he rolled onto his side.

Semi-apologetic eyes the color of ice peered at him from under a fringe of silvery-white bangs. "Sorry. I was stuck," the creation explained concisely.

"Are you unstuck?"

"Mmhm."

"Okay." Clow returned to his position lying on his back and closed his eyes again, intent on enjoying the last of the peaceful just-before-morning, but this time an elbow promised to leave a colorful bruise later in the day. "I thought you were unstuck," Clow reprimanded gently. He pulled at the blankets himself.

"I can do it myself," Yue informed him with child-like determination. He took a firm hold on the blankets.

"I know you can, but let me help this once," Clow replied. He managed to free the tangled blankets around his little angel. "Come here," he offered, holding out one arm to his creation while the other held up the warm covers. Yue scooted over so he curled against his master's broad chest and Clow let the blankets fall down around them. He wrapped his now free arm around Yue as well, completing the hug. Yue tucked his head under Clow's chin and promptly fell asleep, something Clow knew he wouldn't be able to do now that he was wide awake. Yue was trying to adjust his sleeping schedule to match Clow's and Keroberos' so he wouldn't be forced to face the long nights alone and sleep away most of the day, but it was hard on his little body.

Clow stroked the fine silvery hair as he looked out the window into the blackness. It was the darkest part of the night. The moon had disappeared again behind the horizon and the stars were hidden by the approaching power of the sun. Clow lifted his other hand and rested it on his chest right in front of Yue's slightly opened mouth. The feeling of cold air brushing across his knuckles served two purposes: it assured him that his little boy was alive and well and it reminded him of the amazing awe he felt at being responsible for an amazing, living being. This was something he couldn't do with Keroberos, who even in his sleep was likely to nip at something that came so close to his mouth. However, Keroberos was anything but quiet when he slept, his energetic nature infiltrating all aspects of his shining life. Clow never had to worry that Keroberos had suddenly slipped away from him like he did with Yue, who was quiet most of the time (except when making his displeasure at something Kero had done evident to the entire household) and absolutely silent when asleep.

It was a few minutes past dawn when Clow recognized the soft patter of Keroberos as he tried to be sneaky. Kero was often easier to trick than Yue, so Clow decided to pretend to sleep again just to see what the lion cub would do.

Keroberos jumped lightly onto the bed, no doubt aided by his soft white wings. Clow could feel the bedding shift with each prowling step that the kitten took. "Yue always gets to sleep with Clow," Kero complained faintly to himself when he discovered the top of his sibling's head peeking out from under the covers. He obviously decided that revenge was in order. He prepared to pounce, but was startled when the sleeping Clow snored and turned onto his side.

Clow wanted to see what the curious kitty would do in his frustration but he wasn't about to let the soundly sleeping Yue be attacked point-blank. While it appeared to Keroberos that he was simply shifting in his sleep, Clow had actually positioned himself slightly over the defenseless moon guardian, leaving only one side of him open to attack instead of his entire back. He could also see better this way. Yue slept through the movement, his naïve trust in the protection of Clow leaving him fearless as he slept.

Keroberos waited an impressively long time (for him) before preparing to pounce again at a new angle. He attacked with a loud growl that sent the frightened angel scrambling for cover. Keroberos rolled over laughing as Yue fought to regain his bearings and brush his hair away from his eyes so he could see his attacker. It didn't surprise the moon creation that it was the bane of his existence.

"Kero!" he complained irritably.

"You should see yourself," Keroberos taunted between breathy laughs. "The perfect Yue is all rumpled!"

"I'll show you rumpled," Yue threatened, raising his right hand. An icy gem materialized over the palm of his hand. Kero tried to jump off the bed but the angel grabbed his tail to hold him in place. Fortunately, Yue was prevented from retaliating by a large hand closing around his wrist.

"What did I tell you about using icicles against your brother?" Clow questioned seriously, shaking the captured hand lightly until the icicle disappeared.

"He deserves it! I was sleeping!" To Yue, this seemed like a perfectly good reason to destroy his older brother at the crack of dawn.

"What did I say?" The magician's tone was stern.

"Not to," Yue replied grudgingly. He pulled his hand out of Clow grasp and pouted cutely.

"And Keroberos, what did I tell you about pouncing on my bed?" Clow asked the smirking sun guardian. The lion cub promptly stopped feeling smug at Clow's "favorite guardian" being scolded.

"Aw, Clow, it was all in good fun. It's not my fault Yue is so easy to rile."

"I am not easy to rile," Yue argued.

"You are easy to rile," Clow informed him. "You'll grow out of it, I'm sure." He got out of bed and smoothed his sleep clothes before grabbing Yue under the arms and swinging him up to rest on his hip. He supported the light weight with one arm around Yue's back.

"Yeesh," Keroberos whined. "He tries to kill me and you still coddle him."

"I have two arms, don't I?" Clow pointed out with a fond smile for his energetic kitten. Keroberos grinned and leaped to the side of the bed so Clow could pick him up, too. The two young guardians glared at each other as Clow carried them both out of the bedroom. Once in the hallway, Clow turned so he could summon the door to close. He mournfully watched his bed disappear from sight, thinking that one day he would be able to sleep a _whole_ night.

Finis


End file.
